asking and answering at babble

I’ve been busy over at Babble this month. It’s funny – my column over there is supposed to be an advice column, but I end up asking as many questions as I answer. I guess I don’t have it all figured out, either! Imagine that.

Last week I wrote a post with some fashion tips for hiding the post-kid muffin top, and I got some negative feedback on twitter for it. It got me thinking about whether or not this kind of language is perpetuating the shame that women feel about having some extra skin & fat where their babies once lived.

A couple years ago, I decided to take the word “broke” out of my vocabulary. It’s not that we didn’t sometimes have times where money was tight. But I wanted to shift my language away from talking about money negatively, and to begin looking at the ways that I choose to spend my money. Because the reality is: when I’m able to afford a cell phone, cable bills, and an Internet connection… I’m not truly broke. I’m just choosing to spend my money in ways that don’t leave money for other things. In this post, I share where we scrimp and where we save, and ask others to weigh in, too.

Confession: I hate mornings. I especially hate getting my kids ready for school. So looking hot at drop-off is not a priority – plus, I’d rather come home and shower in a quiet house. Here is how I manage looking presentable at drop-off in under five minutes.